Claude “Curly” Putman, Jr. (November 20, 1930 – October 30, 2016) was an American songwriter, based in Nashville. Born in Princeton, Jackson County, Alabama, his biggest success was “Green, Green Grass of Home” (1964, sung by Porter Wagoner), which was covered by Roger Miller, Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers, Don Williams, Burl Ives, Johnny Darrell, Gram Parsons, Joan Baez, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Grateful Dead, Johnny Cash, Roberto Leal, Dean Martin, Merle Haggard, Bobby Bare, Joe Tex, Nana Mouskouri, and Tom Jones. The Paul McCartney & Wings hit “Junior’s Farm” was inspired by their short stay at Putman’s farm in rural Wilson County, Tennessee in 1974. Curly Putman was the son of a sawmill worker, and was raised on Putman Mountain in Alabama. He joined the Navy and spent four years on the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge. He married Bernice Soon in 1956. Curly Putnam worked several jobs in different places in the late 1950s and early 60s, inspiring his later hit “My Elusive Dreams”. He penned his first big hit, “Green, Green Grass of Home,” when working in Nashville plugging songs for Tree Records. Alabama State Route 65 through the Paint Rock Valley in North Alabama is named in his honor, as well as the community park in Princeton. Curly Putman was ill for some time and he died in the early morning hours of October 30, 2016.